The Best Docker AlternativesTop Virtualization Tools and other similar apps like Docker

Docker is described as 'Open-source engine that automates the deployment of any application as a lightweight, portable, self-sufficient container that will run virtually anywhere' and is a very popular Virtualization tool in the system & hardware category. There are more than 25 alternatives to Docker for a variety of platforms, including Linux, Mac, Windows, Self-Hosted and Flathub apps. The best Docker alternative is Podman, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Docker are LXC Linux Containers, Distrobox, OrbStack and BitNami Application Stacks.

Docker iconDocker
  296
  • ...

Docker is an open-source engine that automates the deployment of any application as a lightweight, portable,...

More about Docker
More about Docker
Docker alternatives page was last updated Sep 16, 2024
Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard
Alternatives
  1. Podman icon

    Podman

     50 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Podman is a daemon-less container runtime for managing containers, pods, and container images. It is intended as a counterpart to CRI-O, to provide low-level debugging not available through the CRI interface used by Kubernetes.

    11 Podman alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Red Hat
    Manage containers. Part 1 of 3. Supported engines and orchestrators include Podman, Docker, Lima, kind, Red Hat OpenShift, Red Hat OpenShift Developer Sandbox.

    Podman Features

    1.  Secure containerization
    2.  No Root Required
    3.  Self-hosted
    4.  Container Virtualization
    5.  Docker Container
    6.  Container Orchestration
    7.  Kubernetes

    Podman VS Docker

     
    Comments about Podman as an Alternative to Docker
    Guest
    Positive •Aug 1, 2020
    6

    Same syntax, runs without socket, more secure

    rabbit5
    Positive •Jun 14, 2023
    0

    Drop-in replacement without the license restrictions of Docker

    Docker Icon
    Podman icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Podman is a great Docker alternative.

    • Podman is the most popular Windows, Mac & Linux alternative to Docker.

    • Podman is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to Docker.

    • Podman is Free and Open SourceDocker is Freemium and Open Source
  2. LXC Linux Containers icon

    LXC Linux Containers

     16 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Containers which offer an environment as close as possible as the one you'd get from a VM but without the overhead that comes with running a separate kernel and simulating all the hardware.

    8 LXC Linux Containers alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    LXC Linux Containers screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Container Virtualization
    3.  Sandbox

    LXC Linux Containers VS Docker

     
  4. Distrobox icon

    Distrobox

     14 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Use any Linux distribution inside your terminal. Enable both backward and forward compatibility with software and freedom to use whatever distribution you’re more comfortable with. Distrobox uses podman or docker to create containers using the Linux distribution of your choice.

    8 Distrobox alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Country of Origin

    • IT flagItaly
    • European Union flagEU

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Distrobox screenshot 1

    Distrobox Features

    1.  Container Virtualization
    2.  Command line interface
    3. Docker icon  Support for Docker
    4.  Docker Container

    Distrobox VS Docker

     
  5. OrbStack icon

    OrbStack

     11 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    OrbStack is an alternative to Docker Desktop for macOS, designed to offer improved performance for Docker and virtual machines on Linux running on Mac computers. It addresses performance issues that have been experienced in the past, particularly on models with Apple Silicon.

    7 OrbStack alternatives

    License model

    • Free Personal • Proprietary

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    OrbStack screenshot 1

    Properties

    1.  Optimal performance

    Features

    1. Docker icon  Support for Docker
    2.  Fast speed

    OrbStack VS Docker

     
  6. BitNami Application Stacks icon

    BitNami Application Stacks

     82 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    BitNami Stacks make it incredibly easy to deploy your favorite open source software. BitNami Stacks include an open source application and all of the other software necessary to run it, such as Apache, MySQL, PHP or Ruby.

    43 BitNami Application Stacks alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    BitNami Application Stacks screenshot 1

    BitNami Application Stacks Features

    1.  Package Installing
    2.  One click installation
    3.  LAMP

    BitNami Application Stacks VS Docker

     

    • BitNami Application Stacks is the most popular Web-based alternative to Docker.

    • BitNami Application Stacks is Free and Open SourceDocker is Freemium and Open Source
  7. ServBay icon

    ServBay

     9 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    The next generation Web development environment Install your PHP/Node.js Web development environment in just 3 minutes, with no dependencies and non-intrusive. It includes web server, databases, email, DNS & common tools — everything you need for development.

    34 ServBay alternatives

    License model

    • Freemium • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    ServBay screenshot 1

    ServBay Features

    1.  Ad-free
    2. Node.js icon  Support for Node.js
    3.  PHP IDE
    4.  Portable
    5.  Command line interface

    ServBay VS Docker

     
  9. rkt icon

    rkt

     6 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    rkt is the next-generation container manager for Linux clusters. Designed for security, simplicity, and composability within modern cluster architectures, rkt discovers, verifies, fetches, and executes application containers with pluggable isolation.

    13 rkt alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    Discontinued

    According to their Github page at https://github.com/rkt/rkt, the project has been discontinued. The repository has been archived.

    rkt VS Docker

     
  10. containerd icon

    containerd

     5 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    An industry-standard container runtime with an emphasis on simplicity, robustness and portability

    21 containerd alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Self-Hosted

    containerd Features

    1.  Container Virtualization

    containerd VS Docker

     

    • containerd is the most popular Self-Hosted alternative to Docker.

    • containerd is Free and Open SourceDocker is Freemium and Open Source
  11. CRI-O icon

    CRI-O

     1 like
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    CRI-O is an implementation of the Kubernetes CRI (Container Runtime Interface) to enable using OCI (Open Container Initiative) compatible runtimes. It is a lightweight alternative to using Docker as the runtime for kubernetes.

    7 CRI-O alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux

    CRI-O Features

    1.  Container Virtualization

    CRI-O VS Docker

     
    Comments about CRI-O as an Alternative to Docker
    Guest
    Positive •Dec 25, 2020
    0

    It is supported by Red Hat

    Docker Icon
    CRI-O icon
    • CRI-O is Free and Open SourceDocker is Freemium and Open Source
  12. Colima icon

    Colima

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Container runtimes on macOS (and Linux) with minimal setup.

    4 Colima alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    Colima screenshot 1

    Colima Features

    1. Docker icon  Support for Docker
    2.  Kubernetes

    Colima VS Docker

     
  13. Apache Mesos icon

    Apache Mesos

     20 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Apache Mesos is a cluster manager that simplifies the complexity of running applications on a shared pool of servers.

    29 Apache Mesos alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Linux
    Apache Mesos screenshot 1

    Apache Mesos Features

    1.  VPS
    2.  Hypervisor

    Apache Mesos VS Docker

     
  14. Pods icon

    Pods

     2 likes
    Copy a direct link to this comment to your clipboard

    Pods is a frontend for podman. It uses libadwaita for its user interface and strives to meet the design principles of GNOME.

    10 Pods alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Linux
    • Flathub
    Pods screenshot 1

    Pods Features

    1.  Container Virtualization
    2.  Rust

    Pods VS Docker

     
12 of 29 Docker alternatives